my heart's a stone I'm throwing at your window
by MaRuX
Summary: "Harry grew up in the Muggle world. Even if he did find out that magic was a real thing only six years ago, he had adapted pretty nicely to the notion. So why would it be so hard to believe the fact that a sixteen-year-old dragon (who went to a Muggle school, apparently) just told him (in an American accent) his zodiac sign?" (Set during Half-Blood Prince, slight AU for AD:JL)
1. Listen baby, I'm sorry

_Plink. _

_Plink-plink. _

_Plink._

Tiny pebbles against glass. Someone throwing rocks at his window in the middle of the night. Good thing he was already awake, having just arrived a few minutes earlier, tired and drowsy from another stressful day of school intermixed with magic shenanigans. Nngh.

Looking out the window Jake saw a familiar dark shape; he fumbled with his achy fingers to open the lock. His entire body felt numb. He was split into parts, disconnected from one another and barely able to make anything compute damn he was so tired.

Good thing the person who was pestering him was the only one who could put an end to a dragon's misery.

Rose jumped and slid inside the room. She didn't take off her mask, meaning she was in a hurry, but she did take the time to reach and hug him to her chest. She could feel the fatigue in his muscles, leaving him soft and weak-limbed; he felt warm and vulnerable in her arms. She could easily kill him like this, but she was hardly one of the members of the Huntsclan who would act on it.

"Jake" she murmured, her hand softly caressing the nape of his neck. He practically purred, an inquisitive sound riding the vibration at the end to show he was listening - or at least trying to. "I just got new orders about the latest trouble in the magical community. The Hunstclan is making a move." Rose paused, thinking the boy was asleep. It wouldn't be the first time. He squirmed, rubbing his tired eyes against her shoulder in an attempt to get rid of the itch.

"Oh man, I know what you mean." Jake groused, his voice muffled as he pressed his face against her shirt. "Fu had just been telling me about the Council's decision. They're freaking out about that nutjob wrecking havoc in the UK. Cuz apparently he was supposed to be dead but somehow he isn't anymore and now he has giants and werevolves and freakin' _Dementors_ on his side… So, besides all that, he made this big shift in the magical ecosystem which, as we can all see, is affecting the entire world… And now we're the ones who have to be to fix this entire mess he constantly leaves behind…" Jake groaned, his voice cracking from exhaustion. "Ugh, this summer feels ten times worse than any other, in all my years as the AmDrag!" Rose hissed in sympathy and rubbed his back.

"Yeah, the Hunstclan is on high alert too. He's a wild card, self-centered and untrustworthy so they're wary of becoming involved or make any sort of deal with him. And they know the Dragon Council is planning something too, so they want me to go on the low and investigate." Jake raised his head from her shoulder to look at her face. "That's what they told me to do too! Well, not sure how on the low, since I'm gonna be doing it as the American Dragon, but…" He then smiled at her, a bit more awake at the idea. "So we'd actually get to spend some time together? Awesome!" His arms, left limp along his sides before, curled around her middle to give her a soft squeeze. Foreheads pressed against one another, Rose's blue eyes looked regretful. "Yeah, but we're supposed to be enemies, remember? So if we really do end up in the same place, it might actually make each other's missions more difficult. We'll be practically in the eye of the storm, so we have to stay focused. We can't let ourselves be distracted."

"Aw man" Jake whined, exasperation now in his voice. "I was afraid you were gonna say that." Before she could respond, he continued. "I get it though. Where I'm going apparently has some of the highest security measures magic can create; you can never know who's watching, even when you least expect it. And I can't change into human form there until the Council thinks it's safe. Says there's all this cultural stuff in the way and very few know that there are dragons that can turn into humans out there. The Council thinks it'll be a big shock so they're not sure if it's safe to let the entire wizard community know about us. Which is also why I just got my ear talked off by Grandpa about how a big "no-no" it is to turn without permission there." He sighed as Rose kept combing her fingers through his hair, listening. "But even I'm not stupid enough to try that, no matter how annoying it is. Ugh, stupid crazy wizard, why can't he just stay deaaaddd…" he trailed off in a low tired mumble, eyes shut. They've been burning him lately due to his lack of a proper good night's rest.

Rose squeezed the boy in her arms tighter and pressed a kiss on his neck through her mask. "I will do everything I can and watch your back; I promise you that, Jake." His shoulders, tense during the time he had spoken, slumped once more and he looked at her. "Thanks. I promise I'll try and do the same for you too." Resting his head in the space between her neck and shoulder, he continued talking, this time looking for something to lighten the sour mood.

"The Council took care of covering for me at school. Hayley's gonna fill in for me while I'm gone and Spud and Trixie are gonna help her too, so at least that's out of the way. I mostly have to walk around the place, check on the magical creatures there, report back to tell the Council about the situation, take a peek at the general attitude of the population yadda yadda yadda… Hey, the last part rhymed." He chuckled to himself, exhaustion making the whole thing more amusing. "Maybe I'll get some sleep for once if the AmDrag duties will only be diplomatic stuff like that."

The girl rolled her eyes, a smile under her mask but no joy in her voice. "I'm supposed to investigate the Ministry's intentions, see how they plan to deal with the Dark Wizard's return. And be on the lookout for what that guy's planning to do. I'll be playing bodyguard basically, at least until the Hunstclan makes their decision on where we stand in this whole thing. A great opportunity to gain more experience too, uncle said." Her face was hidden but her voice showed a slight bitter sadness. "He also said it, that the place I'll be going to is really heavily guarded. He said that there are eyes in practically every wall and if you're not careful enough they can betray every secret you hide. It would be better to keep my mask on at all times."

They hugged each other tighter, frustrated and helpless little kids in the middle of the night, tired and yearning for a bit more time before they had to part. "We'll have to keep our distance and make it look like we hate each other" "Don't we always?" "But this whole mission could take months."

"It sounds like hell."


	2. Let me break the ice

The room was filled to the brim with people, mostly young, around the same age as their guests. But they didn't know that, and they didn't have to.

Huntsgirl stood ramrod straight, back facing the wall, her uniform blending in well with the red curtains decorating the part of the room where she was. The Sorting had taken place yesterday and now school was officially starting for the students. It was bustling and noisy as they got their timetables, so none from the young crowd took notice of the slender masked person. She felt a few inquisitive stares, just like the other day, from the professor's table, but they had already been filled in by her uncle before he left her here.

The Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, seemed wary of the Hunstclan as a whole, knowing them as a force to be reckoned with – which is why he, a clearly pro-magic wizard, was willing to cooperate with them in the first place, lest he ignite their wrath. But he was surprisingly warm and friendly towards Huntsgirl. Smiling openly towards her. Like he could see into her soul with his eerie blue eyes, somehow deeming her a good person and then proceeding to treat her accordingly. Once her uncle left the two of them alone in his office, Dumbledore offered her candy like the grandfather she never had. She didn't know how to feel about that.

Huntsgirl suddenly noticed the old man in question rising from his seat. He lifted a hand (the other, black and shriveled, she noticed was discreetly tucked under his large robe sleeve) and the entire room went quiet. "I believe our other guest has arrived." Hushed, whispered questions in the air immediately afterwards, but Dumbledore offered no further clarifications.

A roar suddenly tore through, a piercing vibration, leaving the whole population in the Grand Hall frozen in its wake. Hunstgirl shifted for the first time since she came into the room, her pulse speeding up. She stayed put though, waiting for the students to rush out. No reason to end up on the spotlight, it was against her persona. This was all a matter of timing.

As she reached the crowd now formed outside, she heard their awed and fearful exclamations as they saw the ruby red dragon flying towards the castle. She remembered what Jake had said weeks before, soft and tired against her body in the middle of the night.

_They didn't know about the kind of dragons that could talk, let alone be able to mingle with humans_. So the whole thing could've easily turned into one massive panicked misunderstanding if the Headmaster hadn't walked forward. Standing a few feet ahead of everyone else, he stared right at the creature in the sky. Smiling.

As the dragon lowered itself towards the ground, huge wings flapping against its back, everybody besides the Headmaster took a step back in apprehension. But Huntsgirl heard amidst them a bushy-haired girl's exclamation of wonder and surprise; as she listened to gauge the entire crowd's reactions to the dragon's arrival, she heard the girl's long winded inquiry at the creature's unusual shape – the wings were independent from its arms, its size was slightly smaller than a fully-matured average-sized one, the overall shape seemingly European but the torso more elongated and snake-like, closer to the Chinese dragon…

_Stop calling him an "it". My boyfriend's not a thing_… Huntsgirl could only complain in her head, still hidden in a shadowy corner between the outer walls.

"Welcome to Hogwards." Dumbledore tore through the noise as he greeted the young dragon warmly, arms open, just like he did with her the day before. She was planning to jump in at the right moment to prove the Huntsgirl's stance against the dragons in a (fairly predictable) ambush. Better let them see what they had to see as soon as possible, not let them suspect anything less than hatred between them.

"Uh, wassup?"

But now was not the time to do that, apparently. She left in a hurry lest she blows her cover in the most embarrassing way as she witnessed the public's reaction to a dragon's American slang. Running back into the castle, along the corridors, Huntsgirl smothered her laughter but couldn't keep the wide grin from creeping underneath her mask. _She loved her boyfriend so much_.


	3. Love or hate me, that is the question

So far so good. The creatures from the Forbidden Forest were curious of the Dragon (quite obviously a Protector) suddenly roaming around the grounds, but few were willing to talk too much. The shadows had reached almost every tree in the forest and seemed to be growing. It was like a mold, slowly spreading and enveloping the air in stale dark coldness, interwoven with the giant spiders' silk among the foliage. Yuck.

His Ear of the Dragon could often hear the rustling of leaves from their skittering even from the castle grounds.

"Oi, you there!" He jumped in surprise, caught off guard, then lowered his head towards the demanding tone. A girl with a snooty frown on her pretty face stood in front of him. She was wearing a uniform with silver and green, so she obviously was part of the sssnake-team. Her body language slightly shy and hesitant, eyes wary but looking at him dead on.

"No offense, but the way you talk sounds far from normal." Well. Clueless as he could be sometimes, Jake was very much aware that he didn't sound local. Also, wow, rude much? (no offence, his red scaly ass) So he did one of the things he could do best.

"Say whaaaaaa?" He exclaimed in mock surprise, vowels elongated exaggeratedly in a way he had to admit was entirely deliberate. The way the girl's face fell in blank surprise, like she just didn't know how to respond, was beyond amusing. She neither seemed to expect a dragon being able to grin like that. "Nah, jay-kay, I'm just messing with ya. " He let out a chuckle then shrugged his scaly shoulders. "I know this ain't the Big Apple, so yeah, Brits be staring."

"I… What?"

"Oh man, really? This is too good." The dragon cackled, but the girl seemed too confused at what he said to get mad at him. "Geography, do you have that? Where you learn about where everything is, states and capitals and different countries? You know not everyone talks the same in others areas, right?"

"Wha… - shut it, of course I do!" she finally responded, indignant, her hands balled into fists, cheeks reddening.

"Well then, you'll be happy to know that the way I talk isn't such a novelty where I come from."

"And where's that?"

"Why don'cha try and guess? It can't be too hard, know what I mean?" he taunted her further, exaggerating his accent even more, just to make sure the girl knew he was messing with her.

"Can't be-? Oi, don't get cheeky with me!" the teen exclaimed, indignant and close to shouting at the creature. She was most likely too angry to remember she was talking to a fire-breathing dragon, let alone to keep being afraid.

"Amy? You there?" another voice piped in from a few feet away. Both dragon and girl turned towards the sound just in time to see a girl come from behind a corner. "Oi, Lauren! What are you-" a tall lanky boy came running after her, but they both stopped in their tracks at the sight of the dragon. They looked like very realistic looking statues for a few seconds. Then the boy tried to pull the girl –Laura? - by the sleeve of her robe to head back, but she didn't even dignify him with a look behind the shoulder. She pulled her arm back and marched towards them. Her steps became less and less certain as she came closer, but moved forward nonetheless. Her hair was a coppery blonde shining in the sunlight. Once she came close enough, Jake could see the red and gold accents on her uniform, complimenting her hair. Ah, Team Lion Braveheart, wasn't it? That explained it. (okay, Jake knew those weren't the proper house names, but he liked coming up with creative nicknames for them, food for thought on a rainy day and all that – and this place did have plenty of rain…).

"Um. Hello." The girl shyly addressed him, peering at him through the bangs of her hair. The boy had trailed after her like a resigned puppy and was now looking at the dragon like he was thinking of a plan in case he tried to attack them, his posture defensive and ready.

Damn, they were adorable.

He grinned with all his teeth, basking in the warm autumn sun and the ridiculousness of having kids his own age look at dorky Jake Long like he's the big bad wolf. They all blanched at the sight of his dangerous-looking maw.

"Uh, Amy, what were you…?" the girl turned towards the green-robed girl, taking in her red face, embarrassment still painted over her features. Before she could respond, the dragon piped in instead.

"El-oh-el! You should see the look on your face!" The good-natured laughter obvious in his voice caught the two newer arrivals off guard. Jake turned towards them to explain. "Your friend here wanted to know about my accent. Apparently I don't sound like I'm from around here." He then chuckled, too amused for words at seeing the looks the two sent at Amy.

"What? What are you looking at me like that for?"

"So I take it you two know where I'm from?"Jake interrupted the stare-down, his tail a slow ripple of red, curling like a cat's at his back in delight. They reminded him a bit of Trixie and Spud, but more British. Silly little wizard kids.

The lanky boy was looking at the dragon with a frown, confusion on his face. "Well, I'm not sure of the actual region" Jake's tail drooped a bit at that "but you definitely sound like you're American."

"Bingo, my man!" the dragon exclaimed, tail whipping excitedly. "Land of the free, indeed! I'm not called the American Dragon for nothing!" That earned him a bunch of widened eyes, high eyebrows and confused faces. The dragon waved a hand dismissively at that. "Oh, that's my title. I'm sort of a guardian to my local community of magical creatures, keeping watch and protecting them; it's especially around my area, since I'm still in training, but if I'm anywhere else in the US, it applies to the place I'm in as well. I keep forgetting you guys have no clue about that. Man, talk about being out of the loop."

He then proceeded to explain about the magical community in the states. The blonde girl easily became interested in the topic and proceeded to ask him lots of questions. At one point Amy mumbled about how he had previously said something about an apple, and the girl – who Jake learned was actually called Lauren- immediately got what she had meant and exclaimed "You're from New York City?" She practically had stars in her eyes at this point, absorbing all the information he gave away like a sponge. It was a bit scary. She should've been in the Blue Raven-Nerds. (Ravenerds?… nah, gotta work on that one a little more.)

"So how do you go around the city without being seen by Muggles?" The boy asked, too intrigued to be afraid anymore at this point.

"Seen by what?"

"I mean – sorry, I mean, non-magical people." He explained, slight embarrassment in his voice.

"Oh, uh… Sorry but, that's… classified." The dragon finished lamely, head turned to avoid their eyes. Jake knew he was an awful liar, so he didn't even try to make it look like he'll give them an answer. He saw from the corner of his eye Lauren's disappointed face and it was really hard to keep his mouth shut at the sight. "At least, for now. It's a thing that has a lot to do with our race, it's pretty personal. Like, it can be used against us in the wrong hands. I'm not saying you won't ever find out, like, ever. Just. The Council's still thinking on it, so I can't say certain things until they say I can do it. So. Yeah."

(_Damn it Jake, girls are truly your weakness. Especially blondes._)

"Interesting." Another voice crept into their discussion, making the trio jump and the dragon suddenly freeze. If Jake had felt nervous before, now his pulse had just spiked and flat lined in one go at the sound.

(_This one totally is_.)

A lithe figure dressed in reddish brown from head to toe jumped next to them – probably from one of the nearby windows. Long gold braid trailing down her back, staff in hand, stance deceptively relaxed, his girlfriend looked like she was going to wrestle thirty giants to the death – and he'd never doubt she'd win.

"So, the secret of the Dragon Council is close to finally getting out. That sounds like the perfect opportunity for the Huntsclan to finally be able to capture every single Dragon and get rid of them once and for all." An appalled gasp came from the three at that. Oh. They probably were among the ones who weren't aware of the fact that the two guests were supposed to hate each other. No time like the present, then.

Huntsgirl approached, graceful and lethal and Jake could only focus on keeping his face in a quiet snarl and ignore the loud beating of his heart, the rhythm buried deep and rattling inside his bones.

He had rarely seen her, even while still at home.

Now though, this was utter hell. Now his pulse spiked up anytime he thought he could hear her footsteps around the corner, when he felt the faintest trace of the smell of her skin. His patrols around the forest were agonizing, a mere walk on the castle grounds stressful, the conflicting emotions and the lack of opportunity to even talk to her, to let his true emotions seep out downright _maddening_.

So he frowned in her presence- looking as if he were angry at her- because he could not do what he truly yearned to do. Because he had seen what the entire place had in store. Stairs moving as they pleased, doorways with words used as keys to unlock them. Ghosts, melting into walls and popping up ready to spread the latest gossip. Paintings – not just talking, but _talkative_. No place was safe here to keep a secret and it was beyond unnerving, not to mention frustrating.

Rose was stronger than him. He did not know how she felt exactly about the whole thing herself, but she definitely was flawless in her performance as Huntsgirl. Even as she gained many of the Hogwarts' population's scorn at her open hostility towards the dragon (and he, on the other hand, more sympathy), she was ruthless, unruffled and efficient. If he didn't know any better, he'd think that she truly hated him.

And sometimes, in his most lonely hours, he ashamedly did question her loyalty. But then he'd find a little rosebud stolen from the Herbology classroom somewhere, hidden where only his Eye of the Dragon could find it and his heart would melt in a sappy puddle because he loved her so much, excited and relieved all at once because _of course she wouldn't do that, of course not, you idiot_. But he'd also feel stupid and sad, because_ I'm the one who's supposed to send her flowers_ and yet she was the one to bring him comfort.

But he couldn't think of a single thing he could do in turn.


	4. I'm not who you think I am

"What's your problem?" the student asked the figure perched on a stone windowsill. Huntsgirl did not even dignify that with any sort of acknowledgement. "You've got some nerve, threatening a guest of Dumbledore's like that."

"I am the Headmaster's guest as well, in case you didn't know." The masked girl answered. She turned her head towards the student. A red-haired girl, with freckles on her cheeks, uniform in black, crimson and gold. One of the foolishly gutsy ones, just great.

"That still doesn't excuse what you're doing."

"And what are you planning to do about it? Dumbledore knows of our ways and he is smart enough to not intervene. You're mistaking me for someone you can push around, little girl."

A ginger eyebrow rose at that, the Griffindor now standing in a defensive posture, hands crossed over her chest. "Little girl? Sorry, but by the looks of it, I'm pretty sure that we're around the same age."

"You know nothing, you silly witch." Huntsgirl scoffed and to the student's surprise, jumped down from the window, landing right in front of her. "Do you even know anything of the Huntsclan? What we do? Our purpose?" The uncertain frown on the girl's face told her well enough. "What's your name?"

"Ginny Weasley." The red-haired girl answered, eyes wary and jaw tense. She did not take her eyes off the large blue eyes she could see through her mask. Brave little one, indeed. "What's yours?"

"Huntsgirl."

Ginny frowned at that. "No, I mean your real name. That can't be the only one you have."

"That's the only one you need to know. It is meant to show my purpose." Huntsgirl then removed one of her gloves. Her hand was small, the shape of her fingers slender and feminine, but her nails were not in the least; her skin did not look soft, bearing fresh scratches and old scars. As she opened her palm for Ginny to see, the intricate snake-like shape coiling around her wrist was hard to miss. The dark pink form finished at the center of her open hand in the unmistakable shape of a dragon's head, mouth open and snarling, looking ready to lunge. The masked figure was silent as she let Ginny's eyes roam over the strange mark on her skin. Once her gaze lifted toward the other girl, Huntsgirl noticed her eyes were bright brown, clear and sharp.

"A tattoo?" Ginny asked uncertainly.

"A birthmark." she answered, fingers tightening over her palm, hand taking the shape of a fist. "It's what makes me part of the Huntsclan. It shows my destiny, to destroy the dragons and all other magical creatures." Those warm brown eyes were looking at her like they were trying to fit the pieces of a dangerous puzzle. And she seemed to have come to her own conclusions, despite Huntsgirl's attempt to steer it the way she wanted to.

"Do you have anybody with you?"

"What do you mean?" The question had caught her off guard and dread threatened to freeze in her veins.

"You look like… You have this look in your eyes." Ginny paused, grasping for words." It's not like you're insane. You don't look like someone who wants to murder without reason, to start a fight without a reason. Is your family part of this clan as well?"Huntsgirl tightened her fist.

"My clan is my family. They took me in and trained me since I was a baby."She could not get anything else past her lips, struggling to make it seem like she didn't know, like she wasn't still furious that she had been lied to for all her life, that her family was in fact alive somewhere and that she had a twin sibling and that _they had loved her_.

"Oh." Ginny felt like there was something more behind the short answer, but tactfully did not pry any further. "Any friends?"

The masked girl's shoulders slumped just a fraction at that. (_Just one_, she thought to herself.) "Friends are a burden. The Huntsclan sees them as a mere liability." And it was true, in fact.

"But what do _you_ think?" Damn it, the girl was persistent _and_ clever.

Huntsgirl looked her dead in the eye as she responded. "I have more important things to worry about than looking for friends. And that thing is" she put her glove back on in one fluid, determined motion "_big, red and scaly_". As she started walking down the corridor away from the girl, she couldn't help but stop for a moment and turn her head back towards the girl. "I like your hairclips."

Ginny could only blink in surprise, suddenly remembering the accessories she had placed in her hair earlier in the morning. She then found herself alone in the corridor.


	5. Let's get it started

"So… Wizard sports, huh?" Besides all the people standing in line in front of him having a deer-in-the-headlights kind of look on their faces, the huge shadow suddenly blocking the sunlight on his back gave Harry a clue as to who/what was behind him.

As he turned around, his suspicions were confirmed. It was the dragon. The talking dragon. It- he? was looking at the group of wizards in the middle of the Quidditch field, head titled to the side in contemplative curiosity. Every one of the people behind Harry was probably shaking in their metaphorical boots.

"Uuh, yeah…" he could only respond awkwardly to the creature. He seemed bigger up close; compared to the dragon he had to face in the Triwizard Tournament, it wasn't so bad. But still, this one was still bigger than Hagrid, and those sharp claws didn't look like they were just for the sake of aesthetics.

"I watched a bit of the world cup championship for this thing." Okay, Harry was not ashamed to admit at that point that he was openly staring. "Gotta admit, it was pretty cool to watch." The dragon continued, red tail flicking behind. "But I can't say I got the whole gist of it. Too many rules to remember." Was that a grimace on the creature's face? "Although, I didn't really have that much time to learn about it either. AmDrag duties and all, I usually don't even have time for sleep,not to mention homework."

"Homework?" Harry's eyebrows shot up at that. "You have homework? What for?"

The dragon let out a snort. It's voice and mannerisms were surprisingly… human. "Dude, I might be big and scaly sometimes, but I do have school too. So yeah, homework. Although none of the things you've got here. But I guess Potions is kinda like HomeEc, heh… I got Gym too, though the broomsticks are the janitor's. And I had a Mythology class in middle school, but the teacher's completely bogus at and he hated my guts to boot. But I haven't got anything cool like Defense against the Dark Arts or anything, just the usual boring stuff like Math, English, oh and Biology too..."

"You're in a Muggle school?" Harry couldn't help but interrupt the rambling dragon with his outburst. "But- why? How?"

The creature shrugged. "Beats me. Seriously, that's what every kid asks themselves about any class they have to take, amirite? Gotta have an education, I guess. Just like you guys." Harry saw in the corner of his eye the rest of the students in various postures of confusion mixed with disbelief. Everyone was too weirded out to stay scared anymore.

"Sorry, I don't wanna be rude." The creature's big head lowered to look him in the eye and the messy-haired boy swallowed apprehensively. Curiosity gnawed in Harry's head at what the dragon had just revealed, regardless of how dangerous it might be to pry. "How… how old are you really?"

Thedragon did not seem the slightest bit insulted. He promptly answered "Oh, I'm sixteen." There was a moment of pause before a series of outburst came out from the group and the dragon (who apparently wasn't even a legal adult yet?) just lowered himself onto his belly, sitting on the grass like a sphinx, a look on his face like he just realized something. "Oh right, I forget that it's not so obvious when I'm like this." (_Like what?_ Harry wondered silently. He didn't pry further, but took note of it.) "So yeah, the big scary dragon is a teenager, who would've thought?" The dragon chuckled. "Man, you should see your faces. If you wanna know, I'm a Pisces too."

…

Harry grew up in the Muggle world. Even if he did find out that magic was a real thing only six years ago, he had adapted pretty nicely to the notion. So why would it be so hard to believe the fact that a sixteen-year-old dragon (who went to a Muggle school, apparently) just told him (in an American accent) his zodiac sign?

Since this was a thing that just happened. Still happening, in a way. The creature was still in front of them.

"Okay dude, sorry for the interruption." Harry jumped at that, caught off guard at the dragon's jump between topics. "You were doing practice, right? Your soccer on broomsticks or whatever."

The boy shook his head, realizing that their original plan had been delayed by their unusual guest. "Oh, uh yeah. Quidditch." He couldn't even muster up the energy to feel insulted by the way the creature had called his favorite sport. He was still in shock over how… shamelessly Muggle-ish the dragon acted.

"Sweet!" he piped in cheerfully. "So you're the team captain, huh? Can I watch?" that last question kind of threw Harry in for a loop. Harmless and friendly as he seemed, the winged creature could be a big distraction for them. Heck, he had distracted them all already with his presence alone, not to mention the revelation that… "C'mooon, please!" the dragon pleaded, and much to their shock, practically bounced on his toes."I promise I'll stay outta the way. You won't even know I'm here." It wasn't like Harry could stop him, big powerful creature as he was. He wasn't even expecting him to try and ask for anyone's permission in the first place. The dragon lowered his head at Harry's lack of response, face sad and close to sulking. "I'm just so bored right now I don't know what to do with myself."

"I…" Harry had to admit, this school year was just getting weirder and weirder. He could bet Oliver Wood never had to deal with anything of this caliber. "Okay, but please no interruptions. And please stay far away enough so you don't distract us, alright?"

The creature rose excitedly on its four limbs, wings half-unfolding, toothy grin in place. "Sure thing, no problem! I'll just get out of your way then!" He looked like an excited puppy with that expression on his face, regardless of the too-many teeth he flashed. "Thanks, captain!" The dragon winked at the entire group, wishing them all good luck, and then flew quickly towards the audience seat towers.

"What in the bloody hell did just happen?" Ron muttered, eloquently voicing the rest of the team's thoughts.

Harry could only stare at the moving red spot, flustered, feeling a slight blush creeping up his neck at the dragon's use of his title. Harry had been proud of himself when he got it, but having others acknowledge his accomplishments and treating him accordingly meant more than the boy realized himself sometimes.

Looks like their guest understood, and Harry was thankful for that.


	6. How the mighty fall in love (1)

There was not much to do per all. Huntsgirl patrolled the castle to the best of her ability every day, but it was a very big place, much too large for one person to constantly look after. There were many hidden corridors, moving obstacles and annoying distractions all over the place. But as she managed to gain many of the students' respect she thus became informed of many shortcuts within the castle, besides the ones she found out about by herself. She sometimes listened to what the castle's inhabitants had to say; although hardly adding anything of her own, it wasn't quite awful, and sometimes she found out useful information this way.

Another notable event was the one in which a guy once had the audacity to try and flirt, belittling her prowess along the way just because she was of the female gender. Her response was fierce and delivered promptly. Professor McGonagall tried to reprimand her, but even the older woman had to admit that the foolish student had it coming. And after that one incident, none were quite so quick to freely assume things about her anymore. Needless to say, she easily acquired her own enemies due to her loudly proclaimed hatred towards dragons and all other magical creatures – and also because of her cold, unfriendly demeanor.

The American Dragon, on the other hand, had gained very much popularity among the school's population. His demeanor was disarmingly friendly, willing to help, to apologize, to get along with others. He surprised everyone with how charming he could be and his occasional blunders bringing out startled laughter that shattered most of the students' intimidated demeanors. It was a good thing that he kept a reasonable distance from the humans though; otherwise he might've forgotten himself for a moment and slip up. She did not know where he slept, but she assumed he had a private chamber too. He did not always come into the Grand Hall for his meals, tried not to make a habit of hanging out with anyone for too long, and neither to make friends.

She knew how hard it must be for her boyfriend to hide like that. He was a people person, social despite his awkward moments, soaking up the energy from the people he surrounded himself with, like a cat lounging under the sun.

She missed his stupid jokes. She missed the way he smiled shyly just for her. How he was quick to come near her and had a face close to heartbroken whenever he couldn't. How his profile showed the slope of his upturned nose in an adorable curve, how he was still shorter than her and wasn't bothered in the slightest when she had to lean down for a kiss, because he could never get enough of them.

It was moments like these that she regretted not taking her dream charm bracelet with her and that she had insisted that he not bring his own either. It would've been too easy, to slink into each other's dreams – melt away their loneliness through this restless sleep, to build a world of their own, escape from their burdens, to have each other more completely than they ever did in real life, thoughts interwoven in a way which seemed way too intimate if she gave it too much thought.

It would've been too easy to slip up if they did. And even if they didn't, the lack of sleep would be their downfall, because one meeting wouldn't be enough and neither one hundred, which they could not afford. So she had to decide not to tempt themselves with that possibility, for each other's sake.


	7. How the mighty fall in love (2)

As Seamus turned around the corner, he found himself looking at a long red dragon plopped onto the stone floor, blocking most of the corridor. He blinked repeatedly and then realized that the creature was letting out a series of odd sounds. Deep breaths, sometimes a pitiful whine, intermixed with the occasional angry growl. Good thing they all knew this dragon didn't intend to harm them, otherwise Seamus would've been scared witless right now.

"Sorry mate, didn't see you there." _Oh that was so lame, Seamus, good job._ A low grumbling whine came in response. He seemed… sad. "You alright?" the boy couldn't help but ask in concern.

"Go away." The dragon responded in a muffled, despairing voice. "Just leave me here to die." Alarm rose at that and Seamus looked at him more closely. He noticed that his paws (hands? claws?) were covering his snout, his eyes squeezed shut - when they opened having the saddest lost puppy expression the boy had ever seen.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Everything. The whole world is against me." The dragon responded in a whine. Seamus had never thought he'd ever hear a dragon sound and act like that, but there you go.

"Um, look, if there's anything I can do to…?"

"What's going on here?" Hermione came from around the corner, Prefect badge pinned to her robe. "Seamus? Class already started, what are you…?" she then saw the creature next to the boy and she quickly reached them both. "What happened?"

"I don't know, I just… I was going to class and I just found him like this."

A louder, more frustrated whine came from the dragon and they both jumped at the aggressive, growling undercurrent. "I. Am. Done. With everything!" the dragon growled, eyes screwed shut, deadly claws curling against the stone floor.

"Oh dear. I…" Hermione looked around worriedly. "I'd better get some help, I… Ron!" the ginger-haired boy came around the corner as well, pale and wary from hearing the dragon's angry sounds even from a distance. "Go get professor Dumbledore!"

The boy swallowed as he looked at the big red scaly lump in the middle of the corridor. He nodded and turned back around towards the direction he came from. He rushed down the corridors for the next few minutes, looking around for the right entrance.

"You seem awfully in a hurry." A feminine voice echoed across the stone walls, making him jump. Huntsgirl popped up from the ceiling's shadows and jumped down right in front of him, looking at the boy curiously. "What's the rush?" Ron blanched at the sight of her. Her blue eyes narrowed and he quickly opened his mouth as words came out without thinking.

"The-the dragon." The girl froze at that and Ron suddenly realized that talking to her of all people about this was a Bad Idea. Even he wasn't stupid enough to make that kind of mistake. Huntsgirl looked at him, pretty blue eyes glaring, her voice low as she asked. "What about the dragon?"

"Nothing." Ron squeaked, wide-eyed, scrambling for a way out. Blimey, this girl was bloody scary.

The tip of her staff was suddenly in his face, pressing against his chin."Tell me. _Now_."

He swallowed apprehensively. "You wouldn't know what to do either way, you crazy…" the staff was pressed more insistently against his skin and he flinched. "Then tell me."

She lowered the weapon back down. Her voice sounded less aggressive but not any less serious. "I'm not tactless, you know. I don't simply jump every single time to fight him; if I did, at least one of us would've been dead by now, as well as a few side casualties. So believe me when I tell you that I won't do anything. Not this time."

Ron gulped, all too willing to get away as soon as possible. "Don't make me regret trusting you this once." She straightened up in acknowledgement and Ron thought of a way to explain. "The dragon's… acting weird. He's in a corridor, just… sitting there; sounds like he's really upset but he won't tell exactly what's wrong…" Ron jumped as the girl grabbed him, eyes narrowed.

"Take me to him." She didn't look murderous, but determined nonetheless, and just as scary.

He nodded, went back towards the place where Hermione and Seamus were along with the dragon, feeling a small hand firmly holding onto the sleeve of his robe. "C'mon mate, you gotta get up!" they heard Seamus' coaxing voice as they approached their destination, the sound bouncing off the stone walls.

"No, everything's dumb!" the dragon whined in response and Ron felt Huntsgirl's steps falter for a second.

"You can't stay like this forever!" Hermione tried.

"_I might as well do just that, since you magical jerks apparently love to kick me around in the stupidest way possible._" He quickly retorted, growling and suddenly angry."Seriously, don't clean up your dumb inventions. No really, who ever said that was a thing you had to do? Just leave the Amortentia in plain sight so the poltergeist can grab some right away and torture me with it!"

"Peeves? What did he do?" Hermione asked. Huntsgirl didn't let either of them go around the corner, listening intently to the conversation.

"C'mon, it can't be that bad. You don't look like you're hurt anywhere at all!" Seamus tried to sound encouraging and cheerful. Another low whine came in response. "Shut up shut upshutup! You don't know anything!"

Ron wondered what sort of problems a dragon could have to make one act like that. The masked girl behind him took a step in front, but what the dragon said next made her stop in her tracks once more.

"_I miss my Rose_…"

Confused, Hermione tried to ask "Your….?"

"What… are you talking about?" Seamus asked, and Ron felt Huntsgirl's steely grip of his sleeve squeezing the fabric even harder, pulling it taut against his arm. "You mean like the flower?"

"Yeah, that flower." His response was filled by a sigh, close to wistful." It smelled just like…" Fervent scratching sounds could then be heard as the dragon whined and growled. "It's torture of the cruelest caliber, yo… It's just not fair!"

"What's not fair?" Hermione asked quietly as a slight silence settled once more. Then her voice changed as she came to a realization. "You're not just talking about a flower, right? You mean a person."

"He is?" Seamus exclaimed. He then presumably turned towards the dragon as he asked. "You are? Who are you talking about?"

"_I'm talking about my girlfriend, you tool_."

What.

What?

Ron was too caught up in trying to make sense of that sentence to notice that Huntsgirl had let go of his sleeve, going a few steps back behind him.

"And I'll tell you now, _making a love-struck Dragon smell a love potion is a good enough reason for me to hate all you wizards on principle._ I thought my heart was going to give up on me."

Hermione let out a soft "…Oh." Professor Slughorn had shown the students a while back the strongest type of Love Potion during class. They could all remember the way it had affected them, being able to sense in it their personal favorite, most appealing scents. And that meant… "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. Is it that bad?"

"_Her scent is stuck in my nose_." The dragon whined, voice still muffled as his clawed hands were kept pressed against his snout. A rush of air whistled behind Ron and he turned around on time only to see the tip of Huntsgirl's golden braid quickly fleeing around the corner.

Minutes afterwards, somehow there was no ghost that happened to walk nearby and hear the sounds that came from within the Huntsgirl's private chambers. Nobody heard anything, windowless as her rooms were, with no paintings on the walls to see what had transpired.

_Or at least, none in any shape left to tell the tale_.


	8. We are not what you think we are

The American Dragon's duty, while being slightly more manageable while staying at Hogwarts (he got to have an actual healthy sleeping schedule!), meant he still had plenty of things to do. At the Headmaster's recommendation, he went to ask for help from the gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys and Grounds, Rubeus Hagrid. After the initial stuttering and staring from the huge man -and his large dog's careful sniffing before trotting off back inside, tail wagging-, they discussed the condition of the Dark Forest, the state of the creatures within it and scheduled to go in it together. The dragon would be guided to the heart of the spider's nest to talk to their leader (Aragog, he was called) and then Hagrid could check up on certain places he would not dare go to alone – places the young diplomat had been to by himself already, having more authority among the centaurs and other magical creatures that roamed around there. It was basically a win-win situation.

Having done his job for the day, the American Dragon then went on his daily patrol, tried not to look around too much for Huntsgirl and came back after lunch to sit right next to the gamekeeper's pumpkin patch. Hagrid came out of his hut once he noticed him and they talked some more. The man had an extensive knowledge of magical creatures and their habits, even better than Fu – and the old dog almost always consulted his books for that. He loved the more dangerous ones the most, which coincidentally meant, in Jake's humble opinion, the most badass ones. Dragons had a special place in the gamekeeper's heart, so it came as no surprise when that particular topic came up. The surprise was how it was opened.

"So… you really a dragon?" Hagrid couldn't help but ask.

The creature sputtered, close to choking on his drink. He couldn't help the disbelieving laughter coming out of his burning throat; once he calmed down, eyes watery, he turned towards the half-giant.

"Um… hello? Kinda obvious, isn't it?" He gestured towards himself, one wing unfurling from his back on display. "What makes you think I wouldn't be?"

Jake could see the blush burning underneath Hagrid's impressive facial hair. "Well, I… I just never seen nor heard of one of your kind before, that's all. See, I'd like to think I know my way around magical creatures…" He trailed off awkwardly, modesty in his voice.

The young dragon nodded in understanding nonchalance. "Oh ya, it's just that my kind is kind of in hiding usually. We like to blend in with the normal population."

Hagrid's bushy eyebrows rose at that, confused. "With the other dragons? But that's just… I've never seen any kind of dragon that looks like you do. I've seen plenty of dragons, large groups of them even, but none were close to what you are." He looked pointedly at certain parts of the creature's body, unsure on how not to seem rude while pointing out his obvious mutations from the norm but determined to get his point across. "First of all, you're kinda small, even for a wee lad like yourself." Apparently he heard about his discussion with that green-eyed Quidditch captain from the Griffindor team.

"Hey!" The dragon pouted; he tilted the cup in his hand/claw, pointing the straw in it at Hagrid, his manly pride wounded. "I'll have you know that I'm still growing!"

"Most dragons grow fairly quick." He responded promptly to the teenager's sulk with a no-nonsense tone he usually reserved for his students. "Not to mention the fact that, smart as they may be, they usually haven't got what it takes to be able to _talk_." The red scaly creature didn't say anything, back to sucking on his straw, dark eyes avoiding and unwilling to respond to the bait. "And your wings. _Blimey_." Hagrid continued, using a large hand to point towards the aforementioned appendages.

The dragon turned his head, looking at them himself, before turning back towards the half-giant. "What about them?"

"_What about_-…? They're not supposed to look like an extra set of limbs, they're supposed to be part of your _front legs_!"

"They're called _arms_." He stretched them for Hagrid to see.

The teacher shook his head (big burly beard and all), frowning in frustrated confusion. He pointed at the dragon's head. "And your mouth… how can you use a straw to drink?" Then he stared pointedly at the cup in his hand.

The creature shrugged uncaringly. "I dunno. I just… do." Hagrid's frustration seemed to be building and even though Jake already knew he wouldn't dare hurt a fly (also hello, he was a _dragon_) the half-giant was kind of intimidating. "Uh… I've got… flexible jaws?"

"No, that still doesn't explain much of what's going on with ya." Hagrid replied, way over his head with such a specimen in front of him. "And what are you even _drinking_ there?" Jake lifted his cup, shaking it a little to let the contents be seen through the clear plastic.

"Oh, it's bubble tea." The dark tapioca balls rolled around in the milky liquid at the bottom. The cup was the standard type found in a fast-food chain restaurant. For all he knew, this looked like alien technology to the British magic robe-wearers. (Hagrid wasn't wearing one per se, but you know…) "

"Bloody hell, since when do dragons drink _tea_? And I've never even heard of that kind of tea! How did you manage to find a thing like that around here?"

"Oh, I got it from the kitchen. I've made friends with the house elves a while back and they keep making me all sorts of tasty stuff. I had a craving for boba milk tea since yesterday, so I asked if they would make any." He slurped some more through the straw, chewing on the bits of tapioca, ignoring Hagrid's open-mouthed stare. But seeing as he was supposed to be diplomatic and stuff, the young dragon in the end turned back towards their conversation to pacify the professor.

"Look, I'm no expert in this. But I guess we're kinda like…. humans and giants?" He scratched underneath his scaly jaw thoughtfully, trying to come up with the right way of expressing his theory. "It's like… they both have the same kind of body parts and basic needs, gestures and feelings. But one side is larger, more… with a more simplistic view. Like, they have their basic needs like food and… uh… other stuff, they're naturally curious and protective of their own… And the other type is smaller, a bit physically different here and there, and more complicated, living in a more complex society and coming up with more abstract ideas... But at the base both have the same instincts." He shrugged, not knowing how else to say it. "So yeah, that's just me though." He glanced at Hagrid, trying to gauge his reaction. He was still frowning, but now just standing in silent contemplation.

"Well, that's one way to put it." He responded, in the end."I think I get what ya mean. And" the half-giant shook his head, apparently coming to a conclusion. "It's nice of ya to say it like that, placing giants and humans in the same spot; many humans would think much less of them, that's fer sure."

The dragon realized then the implications of what he last said. He wanted to smack himself, because duh, a _half-giant right here_. He promptly did just that, face-palming at his own moment of stupidity. (He thought he was over being so thoughtless - he didn't do anything wrong now, but if he had, it would've turned into a classic case of foot-in-mouth which would've been messy and embarrassing to fix.) He did not notice Hagrid's curious look at seeing a dragon cover his eyes and drag his hand along his face. Dignity maintenance was hard, damn it.

"Well" the gamekeeper cleared his throat awkwardly "Besides all that, you look like a fairly healthy one." He then took a step closer to look at his features some more."The spikes running down your spine and tail are a bit odd themselves, though."The dragon once again turned to look at what he pointed, waiting to hear what he had to say further. "They're black with a green shine. It looks like two colors in one. You're probably sick and tired of how many times I've said it already, but I have never seen dragon spikes do that before. Is that something you got from one of your parents?"

The creature scoffed. "_Hardly._"Then, to further the teacher's confusion, he added with a shrug. "I just use a lot of hair gel."


	9. Get the party started

**A.N.:**** The first ten chapters are pretty much all scenes I've written beforehand**. **Now I'm just going back to them to edit and proofread.**

**I started this crossover with the intention of making it a oneshot, but too many scenes kept piling up. Still doing it, in fact. Gotta get it out of my system, nonetheless... I predict there's gonna be about 20 chapters in total.** (**Nnngh, what is my life...)**

**To me, this is where the more interesting stuff starts to happen. :U**

* * *

Christmas was right around the corner and the entire castle was abuzz with excitement. Too bad the two guests had to stay at Hogwarts during the winter holidays. A bodyguard's job is never done.

And it should've been the worst for Jake. And it was, for a while. But surprisingly, it also wasn't.

Because the dragon just got a package during breakfast. Everyone was surprised as one owl ignored all the students and proceeded to fly towards the red scaly creature that was currently munching on an apple before flying off for his daily patrol. The dragon bit his tongue as the package was dropped right on his head, bouncing off and to the floor with a loud clacking noise.

"Ow! Hey, what gives?" The people from the nearest tables looked on curiously as he examined the delivery. It was long rather than wide and not very thick, covered in brown paper and duct tape, with a long strip of yellow paper stuck to it on top. "Hey, that's my name! And it looks like it's from home!" That got many people gaping (again). His home? His _name_?

The dragon didn't seem to notice the increasing whispers and fidgety crowd, too preoccupied with his mail. Using his claws, he carefully pressed a thin line to rip through the duct tape on the side. But it seemed to be taking too long, so he then closed his eyes and mumbled to himself. As he opened them once more, the ones nearest could see them glow red, with a prominent snake-like pupil.

"Woah, no freakin way!" he then exclaimed, making all the people who haven't already noticed the commotion, notice it. But the dragon did not care, too wrapped up in what he had apparently found. "But… why would Fu and gramps send me my…?" he then suddenly seemed to realize that he was making a scene in public, lifting his gaze (his eyes now back to their regular dark appearance) upwards and seeing all the people looking at him. He placed a hand behind his head, a sheepish look on his face. "Oh, sorry about that. Don't mind me."

He then focused once more on the package, claws carefully peeling off some more paper; then removing, like a pair of tweezers, two envelopes from within. He looked at the writing on them in turn before opening one and spending the next few minutes silently reading.

"YO, ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" he exclaimed, bringing the attention of the rest of the hall to him. But the dragon didn't notice this time and didn't seem to care for anything else besides what he had in front of him. He hurriedly ripped open the other envelope and quickly read what was written there too. He then stretched his scaly arms, paper in his hands, as if trying to see the bigger picture of the message on it, by looking at the letters from a distance. Mussing the green tinted spikes (hair?) from the top of his head, the creature was close to laughing out loud with glee. "Oh _man, I can't believe they're actually letting me do this!_" He seemed so unabashedly _happy_.

The young dragon hurriedly folded the letters and lifted the package with one arm, then unfolded his wings and in a rush of wind reached the staff's table. "Yo, Professor, I just got a letter from the Council! It's a yes." Dumbledore smiled wide at that, joy and fondness in his response. "What wonderful news! And if I am not mistaken, that makes you the first of your kind to have this task. Makes it all the more exciting."

The creature was grinning at the old blue-eyed man, ignoring any of the curious looks around him (teachers included). "Yeah, I know! It's _awesome_!" Keen senses or not, he was far too happy to notice the constant mutterings floating in the entire hall. "I just need to confirm that I got the delivery and that I understand all the small print stuff, etcetera… So, before I do anything else, it'd mean a lot if you could let me use a chimney for a private Floo powder convo. Care to help a dragon-bro out, professor?"

"Of course." The Headmaster responded, eyes twinkling beneath his brow (seriously, Jake thought it was weird how much old Dumbly's peepers sparkled sometimes…). "And when you're done, I'm sure the students will find this development most interesting as well."

Then the entire population of the Grand Hall watched as the teenage dragon turned towards the four House tables. "Ooooh, this is gonna be so much fun, you guys have no idea... I'll see you all later!" He briefly winked at the students, then flew in a cold rush of air through the double doors, whooping all the way.

It took much more than usual to get ready for the weekly trip to Hogsmeade that morning, what with the rumor mill going on at full speed...


	10. Black and gold

"Why do you keep following me?" The masked blonde asked the other girl. Pansy Parkinson huffed, arms crossed defensively. "Because." She answered oh-so-helpfully, sniffing disdainfully though her red runny nose.

Hunstgirl rolled her eyes at that and continued walking across the snowy landscape, heading back towards the castle's main entrance. Pansy kept following her.

"Aren't you cold?" the dark haired girl opened her mouth once more to ask. "You always seem to wear the same thing. And while I understand the means needed to get a bloke's attention, it's hardly gonna work if you bore him to death, not to mention if you catch pneumonia while doing it."Huntsgirl's grip on thin air tightened considerably; she took a deep calming breath before facing the Slytherin student.

"I'm not trying to get attention." The blonde replied straight-faced, then proceeded to walk away. Pansy huffed out a short chuckle and her footsteps in the snow overlapped the other girl's.

"Yeah, right, girlfriend. That suit looks like it's directly painted on." She wasn't paying attention to catch the widening of Huntsgirl's blue eyes, the falter in her step. The scandalized blush coming over her face was safely tucked underneath her mask. It probably could've been blamed on the cold, yet considering the Slytherin's attitude, she doubted the girl would buy a lie when she did not even believe the truth (her green battle outfit would've been less form-fitting, and she cursed the fact that she did not wear it more often. But it was much noisier due to the armor plating and the swish of looser fabric, a disadvantage when trying to use stealth on the peaceful castle grounds.) .

The thoughts roaming through the blonde's head were left unsaid and Pansy remained ignorant of them, as she continued talking. "But I do understand, you know. We girls have a hard time getting through their heads. I have my own personal experience as proof." The last part she muttered in a more put-off voice; although it was less loud, the other girl's keen senses picked it up.

"Through who's head?" Huntsgirl blurted out the question, then cursed herself for that. She wasn't supposed to make small talk with the students, nor anyone. Pansy didn't notice her turmoil though, probably too immersed in her own to see anything more. "Don't play me like a fool, you know who I mean. We all know guys can be totally thick. Caught up in their cockfights against each other, too bloody blind to appreciate the ones who truly care about them. One minute they seem to fancy you, then the next they're too busy with their own plans to make time for you. It makes me angry, how unfair it is."

"You sound very bitter concerning a very specific scenario." A slender golden eyebrow rose underneath the girl's mask as she faced Pansy, now both entering the castle at the same pace. "Having trouble in your love life?"

Pansy shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant, but her movements looked creaky and stiff. "It's just… It's hard, you know? I mean, have you ever even met a bloke who _isn't_ hard to understand? Moreover, someone who's _willing_ to let you understand?" She aimed her gaze towards the ground, sleek dark hair falling down her face. "The one I'd like to get close to doesn't care enough to let me. He's too busy with his own thing, caught in his own world. There's never enough space for me there too." Hunstgirl, against her better judgment, felt bad for this girl.

The student raised her head, staring into blue eyes. "You look like you're fairly pretty underneath that disguise. But I know that being pretty doesn't save you from heartache. It might draw their attention more easily, but quantity doesn't make quality and neither makes the experience any better. Us girls are always made to look like we're desperate for attention and marriage, nagging _men_ with our simpering and wanting to talk about _feelings_. It feels to me like we're unwanted. They only want us to look pretty and sit quietly and want nothing for ourselves. They don't think that there's anything else. If this is all there is, does this mean love can only be found brewing in a cauldron? I just wonder if you have something to show me that I'm wrong, that a guy can truly, selflessly care for a girl."

Huntsgirl could only rip her gaze away from hers, suddenly preoccupied with removing her gloves and rubbing her hands and arms together to warm up.

"Ah, I knew you were cold." Pansy cracked a teasing smirk and the blonde could only offer a weak glare in response. "But, getting back to what I said" Huntsgirl turned her head once more towards her cold hands "if you ever happen to meet someone who's not like that, I mean someone who's willing to make space for you, no matter what… don't you dare push them away. It's the least us girls can get after all this rubbish we have to deal with. So if you know what's good for you, you will take that boy's heart and _eat it_."

Huntsgirl stopped at that and turned to stare at the girl, naked shock seen even through the fabric of her mask. Pansy turned to fully face her, and the blonde could see her eyes shining with unshed tears, an angry frown on her face. "You listen to me, Huntsgirl, or whatever your real name is. You shall take the heart you're being given and _keep it_. I know you have one." The masked girl could not get anything out at the girl's last sentence, too caught off guard to deny. Pansy continued with steel in her voice. "Keep it where nobody will find it. Treasure it like leprechaun gold and burn anyone in your way who might want to mess with you and what is yours, because that is the only justice that you can give to another girl who shall never find such love for herself."

"I…" Huntsgirl's thoughts were far from coherent at this point, stumbling and unfocused. She swallowed apprehensively, caught under the sad, fervent gaze. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you are Huntsgirl, are you not? As it is your name, so shall you hunt down what you rightfully deserve, as a woman."

"No… no, that's not…" She stumbled over her words, too flustered to even care at that point, scrambling to explain herself to this teenage girl who asked her to be happy in ways she would not dare."That's not how it works." She started rubbing her arms once more, trying to find her muddled thoughts in the physical motions. She breathed into her joined fists, focused on calming herself before choosing her answer.

"Here, let me." A voice intervened, just as a pair of hands appeared in front of her and carefully caught her wrists. The sound brought goosebumps onto her flesh underneath the thin uniform, and the body warmth of the voice's owner even more so. She couldn't move, too caught off guard to retaliate, too stunned to deny herself the contact, too petrified by the conflict in her head, mind and body. Because the one in front of her was someone she knew all too well.

He had taken her hands, so small and slender, in his larger ones. The calluses on hers shifting against his. His mouth pressed against her cupped palms, hot breath, clammy and like fire, enveloping her fingers, warming them and making cold shivers of fear from the intensity shoot up her spine. Huntsgirl could swear that their joined hands were glowing from the inside, magic coming out like gold in gas form from his lungs, his breath focused on the empty space made by the curve of her fingers. Dark eyes like black velvet looking straight into her own, clear and intense, then the tips of his eyelashes fluttered against her skin as they closed. A small kiss was quietly left on her fingers, like a whisper, a lover's promise, and she twitched against his lips. She felt his smile on her skin and she recognized the shape of it in her memory. As he let go of her hands, she saw it as well, but it had shifted into something else in the meantime, something she hadn't seen so often. The curve of his mouth was less soft and loving, more on the verge of teasing. Provocative.

He looked like he wanted to play.

"Much better, isn't it?" He said, his voice even huskier than she remembered. Like the fire inside him had turned to smoke in his throat, crackling right beneath his vocal chords. His eyes never left hers, but Huntsgirl was aware of the Slytherin student looking curiously at the two of them. Jake didn't seem to care though, too delighted at what he just did to her.

"Beg your pardon… uh, who's that?" Pansy asked, looking between the two. She then studied the boy in particular. "I don't think I've ever seen you around before." He was wearing a red jacket (a shade brighter than the one Griffindor House used, so it didn't prove a thing), a pair of blue pants with the hem below his knees – despite it being mid-December. His hair was a long, spiky mess, deep black with green streaks. And this strange boy grinned, obviously amused, placing his hands into the pocket of his pants. He had dimples in his cheeks, thick dark eyebrows and almond shaped eyes. He was shorter than both girls and he laughed openly, joyously and said "We have! But we also haven't. But we will soon enough. We're starting right now, anyway." and the rasp was everywhere in his odd voice, tingling her eardrums.

"What are you going off about?" Pansy couldn't help but exclaim indignantly. "What's up with you, talking in riddles like you're a bloody sphinx?"

"Nope, totally not a sphinx. Good call though, since I'm far from a normal human." He then turned his dark doe eyes to the masked one. "Little miss Huntsgirl would know plenty about that, now wouldn't she?" He had this look on his face, smiling cheekily, swaying on the balls of his feet, hands still in his pockets, "But neither of us is here for any explanations, so I'm not going to even pretend like I'm gonna give any." Then he jumped excitedly, turning around in midair and running off ahead of them further into the castle. "Your move, Thorn!" the boy yelled before disappearing around the corner of a hallway, amusement in his voice. Huntsgirl stiffened at that and Pansy could see tremors wracking the blonde's entire body for the first few seconds. She seemed unnerved at what had just happened.

But to be fair, nether the Slytherin had expected to witness such a thing. She had never seen anyone get that close to the blonde, neither had she heard of anyone managing to touch her, not for even one second. Whoever this boy was, he seemed to have no trouble in matching up to her, like the perfect counterbalance to her strengths. The dynamics between these two seemed… intriguing.

Yet Pansy wasn't sure if it was safe to assume anything when it came to… whatever that was.

* * *

**More female bonding, ****this time about fashion choices and the average girls' frustrations with boys****! Yay? :U **

**I'm not sure about Pansy's voice, since I don't remember her having that many lines to get a good proper feel about it. Also, I've read the books in my native language, so idk. But since she's a "well-bred" Slytherin, coming from a family deemed respectable enough to be able to hang around Malfoy, I imagine she'd be taught to speak in a really posh, dignified, "refined" manner.**

**I don't necessarily agree with Pansy's opinions, but it's one side of the coin and I'm sure many people have had these kind of thoughts at some point. Relationships, man. They be cray.**

**And speaking of love problems, I've been DYING to write this scene between Jake and Huntsgirl! It was one of the first scenes that popped into mind when planning this fic.** **These two have their own issues, but the most pressing one is probably the fact that they are into each other too much**.

**... ngl, I'm kinda jealous.**


	11. five percent pleasure

**A.N.:**** I was pretty much cackling at one point while writing this chapter. Guess at which part.**

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The very same evening the students returned from their Hogsmeade field trip, nothing too unusual happened after that. Very few had seen the odd boy the girls had encountered (ghosts included). Pansy looked around during dinnertime towards every table, even if she was already fairly sure she won't find him there. Huntsgirl never came to eat in the Grand Hall – she always got her food delivered directly to her private chambers, and nobody even knew where that was. The Slytherin was rather curious though about her reaction. After he left, the blonde had taken deep shuddery breaths, then punched a stone pillar with her bare hand, leaving big cracks and crumbling stone. Pansy wasn't sure if she had noticed that her knuckles were scraped and bleeding, as Huntsgirl left in a hurry, eyes narrowed and anger palpable.

A few days after that though, the people who came earliest at breakfast had a curious story to tell to the others who came in much later. Harry almost spit out his pumpkin juice as he had to repeat what he had just heard in order to comprehend it.

"A guy came into the Hall riding a _skateboard_?"

Hermione could only nod, confusion on her own face. "He… wasn't wearing any uniform. But he didn't look like he was any older than a student. He just came in, started talking to us while swiping a few pastries, then left the same way he came."

"He was riding a what?" Ron asked with his mouth full, preoccupied with his food, but nonetheless curious.

"It's… a Muggle way of transportation. Mostly for entertainment, it's usually preferred by kids and teenagers."

Ron wrinkled his nose, pondering the answer. "That's weird. What did he look like?"

"He was rather short… black hair, Asian features." Hermione tried to recall what she saw. "He was wearing a red jacket, blue cargo shorts and blue sneakers. And a helmet."

"A helmet? What fo'?" Ron mumbled his question with a tart in his mouth.

"For the skateboard, Ronald." The girl easily replied, rolling her eyes. She forgot that "pureblood" wizards often had no idea of anything beyond their own world. Ron opened his mouth again (ew) to ask further, but Harry beat him to that.

"Do you think he has anything to do with whatever Malfoy's planning?" Harry asked, slightly worried at the unusual circumstances.

"I'm… not sure if that's the case." Hermione's eyebrows furrowed with uncertainty. "We don't even know if Malfoy's even planning something, Harry, let alone if this guy is somehow involved." The messy-haired boy grumbled at that, still put off at the fact that so few were willing to believe him.

"Cheer up mate" Ron patted his friend on the back trying to lighten the sour mood around him "We'll keep an eye out for this new bloke, just in case."

And then they proceeded to head towards their first class.

The next few hours went by as usual, but when they came back for lunch, they noticed a commotion in the Grand Hall. As it turned out, it was quite an unusual event. Huntsgirl was there. And it was even more so since she came in with a glowing, eerie-looking staff, looking like she was ready for battle. She kicked the nearby benches, violently shoving them away from where she stood.

"Where is he?" she demanded, glaring at the students from the nearby tables. It was hardly any question who she was talking about. The Headmaster's two guests had been fighting each other whenever they met face to face – they did not seek each other out, seeing as how they had their own agendas, so their fights were not very often, but they were often enough to make it count, showing the entire castle's population their open disdain towards each other.

"He? You mean the dragon, right?" Ron said as he reached the Griffindor table, taking a scone and biting into it hungrily before sitting down. "Sorry, haven't seen him all day." He wasn't really sorry, but neither did he particularly care anymore, since no battle has ever seriously injured any of them.

"Why? What are you planning to do?" Ginny asked Huntsgirl as she came in, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I'm planning to finish this, once and for all." She replied, voice low, heavy with dark angry promises.

"Aw, sorry."

The dragon's raspy voice suddenly bounced across the stone walls, letting everyone know of his presence. "We know each other for a long time, but this is only our first lunch date. And I'm not that kind of dragon!" By the sound of it, he was ready to push the Huntsgirl's buttons. The students looked around for the place the voice was coming from. After all, how could a big red dragon hide in a room full of people?

"Show yourself, you coward!" Huntsgirl shouted. None of the teachers had arrived yet, which is probably why she was willing to come here and make such noise in the first place. "I'll show you what's coming to you!"

"Ooh, aren't you impatient?" the voice drawled. "Well then" a red blur jumped towards Huntsgirl and their movements so swift, the students could only see the aftermath, once both parties stood some distance from each other. To everyone's astonishment, instead of the familiar large shape of the dragon, stood

A boy

The entire room started doing double takes with loud exclamations in between. "_That's the guy that came here that morning!_" The entire place rippled with this new shocking development.

"So" Huntsgirl's voice was louder than usual, cutting through most of the chaotic noise within the huge room. "You've finally changed into your human form. What, had to disguise yourself to hide from me lest I kill you too soon?"

"Nah babe" the boy grinned and everyone was struck speechless as they heard the dragon's familiar voice come out. His incisors seemed much too sharp and his dark eyes familiar. "I just got bored of staying like that for so long. Gotta change the view sometime, you know?" He placed his hands behind his back, stance wide with his feet shoulder width and _winked_. "Just because you can't see my claws doesn't mean I don't have 'em anymore. But I'm sure you already know that." He was as carefree as the girl looked like she was about to murder him.

"The real question though" He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "is _if you can handle the heat._" And from his mouth came a bright cloud of fire, heading straight towards his opponent. Everybody gasped and moved further away from the scene, screaming and shouting. Luckily, Huntsgirl's earlier burst of temper had cleared the area the two were fighting in fairly well. She jumped out of the way and lunged towards the boy, staff aimed at his chest.

He easily dodged with a backflip and then got close enough to each other to use their fists. Huntsgirl took plently of advantage of that, but he only seemed to dodge her hits, not attacking her himself. At one point he jumped onto a nearby table to avoid her, doing a handstand and then quickly tiptoeing between the plates as she caught up. He jumped off onto the nearest bench and she followed; both of them ended up keeping their balance on its surface while fighting.

"You don't know who you're messing with, dragon!" she spat as they finally lowered themselves back on the floor. She swung her spear skillfully, bracing it against her body, her grip loose and precise to gain momentum after every parry. This sort of clash was a fairly common occurrence now, but having the girl's opponent look so very different made it an unusual sight for the students.

"Oh, but I do know it very well, doll." He jumped away and over the table, using it to put more distance between them. "You'd be surprised at how much I know, in fact." She jumped over effortlessly and resumed her attempts at hitting him. The boy responded, his smile almost mad, reflected in the sharp blade - viciously, repeatedly thrust towards him.

She was obviously aggravated by his amusement, her eyes glaring at him through her mask."You're a fool if you think you're so damn invincible. Don't you see what this place is doing to you?"

The boy froze for a moment, paused thoughtfully before replying. "What are you talking about?" It seemed like the girl hit a nerve, broached a topic he had considered himself as well. He relaxed his stance, no longer concerned with the fight and titled his head to the side - the gesture seemed awfully familiar, the same body language as the red scaly creature whenever puzzled and curious. The similarities were more and more telling of whom this was.

Huntsgirl stood in place, but didn't lower her weapon, still aiming the pointy end at her opponent's head. There was authority and accusation in her voice as she answered. "This place is crawling with powerful wards and ancient protection spells. Every stone and speck of dust is imbued with the intent to protect this place from harm. A magical creature such as yourself can sense the essences, your _chi_ malleable to adjust accordingly; just having you near these wards makes you soak up all this energy like a sponge. You" her voice was pure acid at that point "_are getting soft_. You're becoming careless, more prone to feel positive emotions and be more approachable for these stick-wielding sickos. You're being manipulated by these very walls into becoming something _benign_."

There was a constant buzz in the room as the students murmured to each other, but the two didn't pay them any mind, never taking their eyes off each other. Huntsgirl seemed to be searching for something on the boy's face. "Don't believe me? Didn't you notice how you became so much more easily _amused_ since you got here? How much more prone to responding with _laughter_, even if it's not really that funny? Not even _you_ are that simple, with a sense of humor _that_ stupid. When was the last time you felt true anger? Loathing? _Fury_? "He didn't answer to any of her questions, pressing his lips tightly together. His dark eyes never blinked, an odd shine reflected there; he didn't show any expression besides that on his face, unwilling to say out loud whatever he thought of the masked girl's inquiries.

"They think you're too powerful, even if you're here with no ill intent. The mere _possibility_ of your anger being ignited is too much of a risk for them to take." She threw her head back and barked out a mocking laugh; she rocked on her heels once, the momentum making it seem for one moment like she'd fall on her back. She turned towards him once again, her blue-eyed glare back in place, colder than ever, her voice burning hatred. "Isn't this _funny_? The ones you're here to protect _are too afraid of you_! The castle itself doesn't _trust you_ enough to let you be yourself. At this rate you'll start thinking at some point that _you don't have to be afraid of me_." She tilted her head, mimicking her opponent's earlier gesture. "And when that happens" she suddenly swiped under his legs with her staff, the blade luckily missing him, but the long wooden handle managing to do its job. He fell to the floor, caught off guard. He looked up at the slender figure looming over him. "I'll make sure you won't even have_ time_ to regret that mistake." She raised her staff above her head, ready to split him open with one clean hit. He hurriedly rolled away from her blade, hitting his head on a nearby table, but jumping back to his feet at the next second.

He grunted, clutching his head with one hand. "So I'm currently being juiced with magic happy gas." He looked at her from under his eyelashes and a smirk languorously took shape on his face, sharp and ready to bite. "Is that what you're saying? Well" He straightened, facing Huntsgirl and in his hands blue fire suddenly twisted like ribbons, hard scales trailing from under his sleeves, shining ruby red. Jumped right in her face and grabbed her staff in one fluid motion, the wooden handle cracking and crumbling under his fist and everyone in the room stopped breathing at that point. "_That explains why I feel like taking off your stupid mask and kiss you crazy_." His words and neither the tone of his voice fit the expression on his face, his smile mean, stance aggressive as he curled his claws and breathed in her personal space.

The students all watched wide-eyed as Huntsgirl hastily took a step back and hit the table. She could barely see behind her, careful not to leave her opponent out of her sight. In the next second, she took the nearest thing she could find on its surface and threw it towards him with the hopes of distracting him. The fancy-looking cream pie flew and he hurriedly dodged, but the top layer was syrupy and thin enough to fly off the confection while in midair, a glob of it landing on his cheek. They both froze as the metal plate clacked loudly on the floor. And that was when Filch announced his arrival.

"WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU BRATS DOING HERE?" the old man yelled across the room as he came in like an angry storm. Thankfully, he was stopped by McGonagall's hand, telling him silently to not intervene. The teachers silently trailed into the Hall, avoiding the area where the two opponents still stood.

The students had frozen at the sound of the man's angry yell. They hurriedly turned towards their tables, avoiding the staff's eyes, keeping their noses in their plates. But they watched out of the corner of their eye as Huntsgirl and the _dragon_ (?!) stilled, no longer in a fighting stance, but looking at each other, like in a silent battle of wills. They stood like that for a few silent, tense moments and not even the teachers dared to intervene.

The boy's left cheek still had cream on it. He, straight-faced, gaze unbroken, took a bit of it with his finger and then

bopped Huntsgirl on the top of her masked nose with it. The gesture seemed careful, doting, almost affectionate, and the students who saw that were just as wide-eyed as the girl in question was. It had been very little, not just compared to what was still on his face, but the boy licked his finger clean, then promptly turned around and went through the double doors, brushing past a grimy and fuming (but oddly tight-lipped) Argus Filch.

After half a minute, Huntsgirl straightened her posture and left the Grand Hall without a word, leaving the whispers to run rampant in her trail.

* * *

**Poor Huntsgirl, that dragon keeps messing with her head. At least she delivered him a message, had another pretty impressive fight and at the same time proved ****_she _****on the other hand hadn't gone soft. Much.**

**Also yes, it seemed to me while writing Jake's scenes that he was too easily amused sometimes by the wizards. So I came up with this explanation and it's slowly turning into a headcanon of mine, help.**

**And now you also know for sure that our dragon boy got his skateboard along with those letters from the package. I dunno why his gramps thought it might be a good idea...? But on the other hand, he might make a bigger mess if he just got bored once the novelty of showing his human form wore off, so he might've thought it would be best to keep Jake entertained with something he already knows how to use. Maybe it was Fu's idea. (good thinking, Fu...)**


	12. That gleam in your eye is so familiar

**A.N.:**** So many headcanons here guys, so many headcanons.**

* * *

"So… I heard you're a Pisces?" Still sitting cross legged, Jake turned around at the voice. He was on top of a rather large boulder on the downwards slope towards Hagrid's hut – so he had to look down. A girl with long dark straight hair stood below, all snuggled up in her blue and bronze striped scarf. She seemed a year or two older than him. Jake also happened to notice that she was quite cute.

"Oh, hey." He combed his fingers through his hair self-consciously. "Uh, yeah, that I am."

She laughed quietly and he couldn't help but smile at the sound. "So it really is true then? You're the dragon?"

"Depends on who's asking." He couldn't help responding with that line, and he kind of wanted to facepalm for that. He kept his smiling front on the outside though. "Wait, I'm coming down."She shifted a few steps out of the way and he easily slid down the snow-covered boulder. As he landed, he patted the ice off his winter jacket.

"Since they're fire-breathers, aren't dragons supposed to keep warm though? I mean, aren't you cold? You're not even wearing gloves, or a scarf." He looked at himself like he hasn't seen the clothes he was wearing before. At least he was wearing long pants this time.

"Ah no, I don't really need that many layers. I have all the warmth I need right here." He pursed his lips and let out a small ball of flame in his breath; he then took it in his hand and let it slide through his fingers before gradually dissipating.

"Wow, okay." The pretty girl seemed quite impressed. "That's amazing."

"Always a pleasure to feed the ego, thanks." He grinned, leaning with one shoulder onto the boulder's base, arms crossed. "So, beside my sign and body temperature, is there anything else you'd like to know?" (_Damn it, Jake, what is coming out of your mouth like I don't even_)

The girl blushed bright red and he couldn't help but feel at least a little bit smug about it – just a teensy tiny bit, mind you.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to be rude, I just…"

"Hey chill, I didn't mind. Really." He tried to coax her out of her shell, not wanting her to be uncomfortable, not to mention have her apologize for nothing (besides, it was his fault for being such a douchebag flirt). "Got something specific on your mind you wanna ask me?"

"Well, no, not really. I just… I was taking a walk to clear my head a bit, then I saw you and. And since the school year started we don't always see you around, and I didn't get the time to meet you myself properly…" she buried her chin in her scarf, flustered and unsure once more "I thought this might be a good time as any."

"Fair enough." He smiled in what he hoped was a friendly manner. Dang she was sweet. "I'd like that."

She brightened at his response, giggling, nervously excited. "Okay." Her joy made her face glow, giving off a beautiful warmth that settled in his heart. Sometimes Jake forgot how nice it was to meet new people, make new friends. All that excitement with the supernatural tended to overshadow the smaller, but nonetheless precious gems in life, what with magic's flashier tendencies to bedazzle.

Gems like the beauty of someone's genuine smile, shy yet hopeful, as they held out their hand towards you.

"Cho Chang." He took it, shaking it with a loose grip.

"Jake Long."

"So it's true, that you have a name. That's your real name?" He tilted his head at her, one eyebrow raised.

"Of course. Everyone has a name."

Cho's cheeks reddened again in embarrassment. "Oh, sorry. God, I'm so tactless today. Of course you have a name."

"Of course." He parroted her, and couldn't help the amused grin off his face. Silly little wizards. "And in case you're wondering why I never brought it up, it's because none of you ever asked. Also, because I still had to wait for the proper clearance from the Council before giving away any kind of info about us, names included."

She nodded thoughtfully, processing his reply. "I guess I'm just really out of it lately." She rubbed her cheeks with her mittens and age differences be damned _Jake seriously had to resist the urge to smother her into a hug_ because she was absolutely precious. "I mean, a lot of stuff is happening all at once and. It's just a lot to take in, you know?"

"Yeah, I think I know what you mean." This entire damn mission away from his home and family, sitting among _wizards_ to make sure they play nice and having to fight his long-term girlfriend - the world loved him like that… Not to mention the fact that he had his fair share of trouble on a daily basis back in New York as the AmDrag too. Ugh, he wondered if Haley was doing okay. And he couldn't help but miss his best friends... Cho saw the thoughtful look on his face and stared for a while at his features, his furrowed brows, his tense shoulders. She tried not to think about what she heard had happened right before winter break in the Grand Hall. It didn't seem like it'd be a good idea to pester him about it.

"I heard…" she swallowed apprehensively "Not too sure how accurate it really is, at least for the kind of dragon you are, but I've heard that most dragons have a very protective streak. They have a strong instinct to guard, to fight in order to keep certain things safe." Jake nodded, curious as to what she had to say about that. She seemed to want a verbal affirmation though, as he realized she was probably looking for an answer to something that plagued her, the girl's gaze fearful of something he could not see nor touch.

"Yeah, that's true." He affirmed then paused thoughtfully before continuing. "Actually, I think that the best word would be "possessive". There are dragons out there that hoard things for themselves, who want to keep their belongings as physically close as possible; and there are also those who especially care about certain people, relationships, that they protect just as fiercely as the former do with their belongings." He turned his head back towards her. "Why'd you ask?"

Cho seemed to need a few moments before replying, her voice small.

_"Have you ever… failed?" _Oh.

_Oh. _

The young dragon knew the wizards were currently in a war. He could smell the fear and paranoia, even under the warm layers of comfort the castle gave off. Of course they were scared of the dark.

Jake could now see what the look on her face was. She had a shadow there, in the grooves of her pretty features, dampening her spirit with sorrow. He sometimes noticed it on the creatures he encountered in his missions as the American Dragon, saw it on the streets on people's faces back in New York. Saw it on Rose's face whenever he insisted she quit and come to him for good, whenever she talked about the family she had but never knew or about the lies she'd been fed all her life by the Huntsclan. Something inside him told him, like a whisper in the back of his mind, this time unusually clear and persistent. Her heart was fragile, scarred and holding itself together with thin lines of stitching.

He swallowed, feeling phantom pains of helplessness wash over him with painful clarity and etch into his face – like he never let himself usually do, not when he had others counting on him. This time he needed to show weakness, his humanity, for this sad girl.

"A few times, yeah." His voice sounded small to his own ears. "But something tells me it's less hard to get over what I've been through compared to what you've faced."

Teardrops started falling down her pretty face, like he had taken the breath out of her lungs with his words. And it was true; he was a dragon, he had his strengths and resources to overcome his weakness, he was meant to fight the pain. Huntsgirl had been raised by cruel people and was a bone-deep warrior with a spine of steel.

But Cho was young and so very human, confused, without the clarity in her wants and the self-awareness of her own strength, things needed in order to fight and stay whole. She covered her mouth with her hand and Jake felt an insane amount of need to _protect_ this poor young human who did not deserve whatever she had had to face. It seemed like everyone here was so preoccupied by their own fear, they had no time to spare to see how badly hurt she was.

So he told her "You're stronger than you know."

She seemed to be chocking with the rush of air wanting to come out in sobs. "I… I'm really not. If I was I wouldn't have…" Her face was red and not so pretty anymore, pain bleeding through straight from her shattered heart. Jake stood to face her properly and placed his palm on her cheek. "You faced things worse than you had ever imagined and you still fight against the shadows it left behind in your life, even now. I can feel your spirit struggling to overcome them." He gently nudged her face to look at him. His eyes were sad, but his smile gentle and affectionate for the girl with raw water and salt seeping from her wounds."And when I'll have to face the darkness and have my heart break as well, I hope I'll deal with the pain with at least half as much dignity as you do."

Cho swallowed, fresh tears seeping out but her brows no longer furrowed in a pained frown. "I… other people have to deal with a lot worse. Cedric's death… and everything else… it's still painful, but it's all in the past now. Other people, like Harry, had to deal with so much more every single year, nothing I've been through can compare to..."

She paused, trying to breathe past the memories slicing up her lungs. She saw through her blurry eyes Jake coming closer to her face and her mind blanked for a moment. She was on the verge of hyperventilating, this was like her relationship with Harry all over again and no she couldn't, not now, she wasn't ready for this, she mustn't…

His warm breath washed over her skin as he lifted her knitted hat and kissed her forehead. It felt like hot wax stamped above the space between her brows, the warmth sliding inside her head and she found herself closing her eyes as she felt it seep somewhere deep. He brushed his thumbs against her cheeks, the bare skin of his hands warm and dry, making her tear tracks vanish. A feeling of safety overcame her shaking limbs, like a blanket meant not to cover and hide her ugly scars, but to bring comfort and warmth to dull the pain.

"That doesn't make your own suffering any less important." He said as he placed his chin on to her shoulder and she was struck all of a sudden that he was actually so much shorter than her. She didn't know what came over her as her arms moved of their own accord, settling gingerly on the boy's sides. He had his own placed in his front pockets, keeping them out of the way, thinking it best to let her decide how physically close she wanted to be. He was like a furnace, his body heat almost radiant as she felt it even through all the layers of her clothes and the cold air left between their bodies.

The maiden was never the dragon's captive, but its protégé. (_Some were its master too_.)

They stood like that for a while, silent and warm, under the dark sky, surrounded by snow. As she opened her eyes, she saw him staring at her. But she felt no tension like before, no fear of what this might lead to, that it might bring her more suffering. For once in a long time, she did not feel guilt. She swallowed as she stared right back into the dragon's eyes.

"Which one are you?" Cho couldn't help but ask quietly, as she stood so close to this boy who seemed to be made of fire itself.

He smiled at her with a feeling he could not name as he raised his head from her shoulder. He answered in an equally quiet, subdued voice, like he had put her aching heart to sleep and was trying not to wake it from its healing slumber.

"I'm pretty much the latter." The he cleared his throat, continuing with his regular voice. "I'm actually a Protector, officially. Ever since my powers came out, I've been assigned to take care of the entire New York City. And once I complete my training, I'll have full jurisdiction over the entire United States." What? A guy can't be blamed for wanting to brag in front of an audience. He saw the girls' awed glimmer in her eyes and he smiled. It was nice to have something to be proud of, a duty to others and yourself.

Jake paused for a second, unseeing, suddenly lost in his thoughts.

"Although" he couldn't help but add in a neutral tone, the words spilling on their own past his lips "to be fair, these two types of dragons aren't that different from each other. Some can be like both at the same time. And while I don't sleep on literally everything I own, I can't say I'm totally selfless either." He looked her in the eye and Cho couldn't even blink at the sight. "I have my own desires." His eyes were dark and so deep, like the inside of Cho's black ink bottle. "I want so many things. And some things in particular seem impossible for me to have, but that doesn't stop me from wanting them." But ink was too wet to look like it burned. "Sometimes it feels like the thing I want the most is the one I can never truly have. And yet, I often feel like I will die for the sake of protecting it. Either way, I'm dead, because if I'm alive and I don't have it, I might as well die from the gap left by my own selfish need for it."

He then removed himself from under her hands and took a few steps back. Cho felt the winter cold on the surface of her skin once more. Jake leaned again onto the boulder, clearing his throat awkwardly. He broke eye contact as he shrugged with one shoulder, trying not to give too much away. "Like I said. Possessive."

* * *

**I feel like Cho Chang did not get much of a chance for closure in the books and had it even worse in the movies. I can't imagine what it would be like for your beloved boyfriend to be killed in cold blood by an entire community's living nightmare; it was practically the murder that spurred the entire world into living in perpetual fear once more, the first of many more to come. This feeling of general panic made it harder for anyone to understand that she really needed someone to help her overcome her loss. And like Hermione said in the fifth book, Cho felt awfully guilty for liking Harry. She cried often, much to Harry's clueless annoyance. Her best friend betrayed Dumbledore's Army, and defending her even the slightest bit made Cho herself be seen as somewhat of a traitor. Harry was in his first relationship and damaged her more with the lack of support and understanding. He's so used to trouble finding him, his own pain so big and acknowledged by everybody, he could hardly understand why anyone else would complain when they had so many things he didn't. It's not really his fault, but neither is it Cho's. **

**Idk, I just wanted to write a silly little scene with her and Jake (Chinese heritage, represent! or something like that...) but it quickly turned like this and I didn't have the heart to make it any less heavy, because I realized that I really needed to see someone give the poor girl some relief. I'd like to think that three-four years of working for the magical community coupled with his protective streak, Jake would know a thing or two more about other people and their needs. He always seemed like a thoughtful, caring person to me, so becoming a tad more observant helps him in this department as well.**

**I'd like to think these two would become good friends, maybe even visit each other from time to time after this entire mess is over.**


	13. My moral's got me on my knees

Many things happened during that school year at Hogwarts. Even without the American Dragon and Huntsgirl there, it still would've been just as exciting. And dangerous.

Katie Bell, seventh year student from Griffindor. Cursed with the Imperius spell and an opal necklace laced with Dark Magic.

Draco Malfoy, sixth year, Slyterin. He had tried to sneak into Professor Horace Slughorn's Christmas party, so she noticed firsthand. He was obviously under much psychological and emotional stress. Slashes across his entire body with a curse from another student in the haunted bathroom on the third floor. Luckily professor Snape came in time to heal his wounds, otherwise he surely would've died from the blood loss. Another misfortune after the other…

Huntsgirl stood still, lost in her thoughts, leaning against a pillar in a shadowy corner. It was one of those rare moments where she was less alert, which is why she was startled as someone spoke.

"I'm telling you, Harry, that girl is gonna kill me!"

"Well, to be fair, you kinda did this to yourself."

"_Girls_." The other voice responded, disgust creeping up his voice. "Who needs 'em anyway? I swear they're all _insane_." They came into view right then from around the corner and they froze when they finally noticed her there. She recognized the two boys instantly. One of them was fairly tall, with bright red hair and a freckled face.

Ron Weasley, sixth year, Griffindor, Prefect rank. Poisoned this winter in aforementioned Potions teacher's private chambers.

The other had dark messy hair and a pair of round glasses. He wasn't close enough for her to confirm this, but she was sure his eyes were green. She heard enough to know this one's name.

Harry Potter, sixth year. Griffindor. The rumored Chosen One.

"Um. Hello."

She silently nodded in acknowledgement but moved no further. The boys paused before getting closer, steps cautious. They were probably too wary to act as if she was just a random passer-by, they felt obligated to acknowledge her presence, like most of the castle's inhabitants felt. As they came near, Huntsgirl noticed how pale the Prefect was. She looked at him with cold eyes and they both tensed, ready to bolt.

"With that kind of attitude, no wonder you're getting whipped." She cut through the deafening silence with a dismissive brand of pity.

Ron went beet red at that, both from shame and annoyance. "Oi, like you have any room to talk!" He then caught himself from blurting anything further as Harry stepped on his foot.

"Sorry, he's just bitter because of girl problems."

She snorted and crossed her arms. "I've noticed."

Ron rubbed his cheek in annoyance at their chosen topic. "Well, face it Harry, it's not like your love life is much better than mine."

Harry could only grumble, a morose cloud now on his face. "At least I don't avoid my own girlfriend because she's so disgustingly _clingy_."

"At least I _have_ a girlfriend! Do you even fancy anyone now? Or are you still hung up over Chang?" Ron retorted.

Cho Chang, seventh year, Ravenclaw. Boyfriend killed two years ago during the Triwizard Tournament by the Dark Wizard Voldemort. Had been in a (rather short-lived) relationship with Potter afterwards, the last person who had seen Diggory alive. (And it didn't seem like it had helped her trauma in any way, seeing as it was the boy's first relationship, and inexperienced people who didn't know what they wanted tended to make a huge mess.)

Damn, she was right in the middle of a soap opera.

Harry seemed to struggle with something, but in the end decided not to voice it. At the lack of a hostile response, Ron just slumped his shoulders, losing the wind in his sails.

"Why do relationships have to be so difficult?" He asked. He let himself lean against the wall and bumped the back of his head against it a few times.

Blue eyes lowered to the floor, Huntsgirl kept herself from saying anything. Both boys ended up on either side of her as Harry too leaned thoughtfully against the cold stone.

"Yeah."

* * *

**Yeah, good thinking, Harry. Better not tell your pissed-off best friend that you're crushing on his little sister. You ****_have_**** some self-preservation instinct, after all!**

_**Relationships, man.**_

**Hah, I guess due to my non-existent love life and my geekery over OTP and "FEELS" is what makes me come back to talk about relationships. IDK, character interaction is just so fascinating to me. **

**Also, ****_teenagers_****. /eye roll/**


End file.
